Help For the Itchy Pet
Updated: Sep 30
If the condition is severe, acute, the skin is very red: start with at least a 24-hour (no solid food) fast. Keep water available all the time and use a liquid diet such as raw fermented goat milk, kefir, fish stock or homemade meat broth. A pet can go a few days longer with just liquid nutrients if they are doing well and the skin inflammation/itch is improving. A small dog will be fine if they are drinking the fermented goat milk or kefir. See chart at the end of this post for amount by weight, per day, split into 3-5 meals. If your pet doesn’t like goat milk, try homemade beef broth (recipe below, without onion or garlic). Please consult your veterinarian if your pet is older or has complicated chronic medical problems.
Contact Solutions Pet Products for more assistance on fasting.
Bathe the pet to remove irritants and allergens (see resources related to grooming for more Skout’s Honor Products) - Itchy Dog Bundle https://geni.us/6nH1OM
Check for external parasites and treat. See Resources - For Pets - Pet Grooming for natural products to remove fleas and ticks. Some conventional products require a heartworm test, most topical products are reasonably safe (Frontline Plus, Revolution, some herbal products) but be very careful with applying products to your cat (even herbal products sold for cats) and check with your veterinarian if your cat is very old or has other medical problems. Some dog breeds have a sensitivity to selamectin in Revolution (MDR1 gene). Some oral products can have serious side effects related to the nervous system in some pets.
Protective clothing. Dog and cat pajamas and recovery suits can help with healing the skin and keeping your pet from scratching. Amazon LovinPet is one example (other choices listed in Recovery Resource page) https://geni.us/BPG3Kj
Add omega Fatty Acids (see resource page General Supplements/Fish Oil for more options)
Nordic Natural Pet Unflavored Fish Oil https://geni.us/qpFJNutramax
Nutramax Welactin Omega-3 Fish Oil Supplement for Dogs
Soft Chews, 60ct https://geni.us/5XNAG Liquid 16oz https://geni.us/tzK21wK
Improve the Gut Biome: probiotics and prebiotics. There are a wide variety of brands and choices on the market. See Resources - For Pets – Pet Digestion Support, for my recommendations.
Improve the Diet: Stop chicken in all treats, toys and foods and try a single protein diet (beef, rabbit, fish, port). Download The List for recommendations of foods (freeze dried, raw, cooked diets) https://truthaboutpetfood.com/the-list/ . Open Farm isn’t on this year’s list, but if you need a kibble, choose this brand.
Skin support supplements: (fish oil, multivitamin, anti-oxidants, can all help to provide immune/skin support and decrease inflammation, for other brands see Resources - For Pets - General Supplements)
Standard Process has a whole body supplement for dogs and one for cats.
The Standard Process Protocol for itchy cats: Feline Enteric Support, Feline Immune Support, Antronex - when itchy (1 tablet daily x 7 days, then as needed)
Sometimes stopping chicken in all foods and treats for a month can improve itchiness. Your veterinarian can guide you on how to do a proper food allergy elimination trial, but basically it involves using a hydrolyzed or limited protein diet for 4-6 weeks, then adding back foods every 3-4 days and monitoring response. For example, some dogs are very allergic to wheat or corn, so when those are added back in there is an allergic reaction within a few hours.
Improve the Environment: schedule a duct cleaning, change the furnace filter, steam clean surfaces/carpet and couches https://geni.us/tLrS0T https://geni.us/EQyQv1, consider removal of carpets and replace with hard surfaces, get an air filter (AIRDOCTOR Air Purifier Hospital-Grade UltraHEPA, Premium Carbon Filtration https://geni.us/MIj1h0 ). I do not recommend ozone air purifiers as some research indicates harm to the eyes.
Get an exam with your veterinarian or veterinary dermatologist to rule out microscopic mites, lice, fleas, bacterial or fungal infection, autoimmune disease, or skin cancer. (Dermal lymphoma can look a lot like skin allergy/infection, so if your pet's skin is not getting better, your veterinarian or vet dermatologist will ask to take a skin biopsy to rule out more serious skin diseases.) The above suggestions calm the immune reaction and support the healing process. Figuring out the cause of the itch can be imperative to the solution. Allergy desensitization, a round of antibiotics/antifungals, targeted parasite control, or treatment for autoimmune disease can bring a lot of relief and buy some time to implement diet, supplement and environmental changes.
Meat broth: Boil 2 lbs. beef meat with bones in 6 cups of water (may use another type of protein if the pet isn’t allergic), 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tbsp salt. Simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Skim out bones and chunks of fat, remove and set the meat aside, strain the broth and add 1 to 2 cups chopped vegetables (ex. carrot, celery, yam, cauliflower – no onion or garlic). Boil for another 20 minutes.
Raw Fermented Goat Milk Amount Per Day to Meet Nutritional Needs.
Split into 3-5 meals. Consult a veterinarian to assess your pet’s wellness prior to fasting.
